Nov. 30 (UPI) — President Donald Trump said peace talks between Ukrainian and U.S. delegations held Sunday in Florida were “going along well,” while his top diplomat, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, cautioned that while the talks were productive, more work needs to be done.
Delegations from the two allies met in Hallandale, Fla., on Sunday to discuss details of the U.S.-backed plan to bring an end to the war that began in February 2022 with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters following the talks in Florida, Rubio said they were seeking not only to end the war and ensure Ukraine’s safety from further Russian aggression, but “we want them to enter an age of true prosperity.”
The talks on Sunday were building from those they’ve previously had, Rubio said adding that had “started laying the groundwork” on a deal in Geneva, and were continuing that initiative throughout this week.
“I think we’ve built on that again today, but there’s more work to be done. This is delicate, it’s complicated, there are a lot of moving parts, and, obviously, there’s another party involved here that’ll have to be a part of that equation,” Rubio said, referring to Russia, where Witkoff is to visit next week.
“So much work remains, but today was, again, a very productive and useful session where, I think, additional progress was made.”
Rubio was speaking beside Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s secretary of national security and member of its defense council, who said he was “grateful” to the American people and leadership.
“Our objective is a prosperous, strong Ukraine,” Umerov said. “We discussed all the important matters that are important for Ukraine, for Ukrainian people, and U.S. was supportive.”
He agreed that Sunday’s meetings “was productive and successful.”
Aboard Air Force One, Trump told reporters that he had spoken with Rubio and that the talks went well, but that “Ukraine’s got some difficult little problems.”
“We have a corruption situation going on, which is not helpful,” Trump said, without explaining how it was impacting the negotiations.
“But I think there’s a good chance we can make a deal.”
Ukraine seeks international security guarantees as part of the agreement, as well as a cease-fire based on the existing frontlines, and has refused to cede any Ukrainian territory that is not already under Russian control.
Russian President Vladimir Putin does not appear set to offer any concessions, instead telling reporters during a press conference in Kyrgyzstan on Thursday that “when the Ukrainian troops leave the territories they occupy then the hostilities will cease.”
“If they do not leave, we will achieve it militarily,” Putin said. “That’s that.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X Sunday that he was updated on the talks by Umerov.
“It’s important that the talks have a constructive dynamic and that all issues were discussed openly and with a clear focus on ensuring Ukraine’s sovereignty and national interests,” he said in the statement.
“We will continue working.”
Rubio met with the Ukrainian delegation in Geneva last week to discuss a 28-point plan to end the war, which included demands by Putin that Russia regain its standing on the international stage and that Ukraine be forbidden from joining NATO, a group to which it has long sought membership.
Ukraine said then that the plan was highly favorable to Russia, and that it required “additional work.” The plan ultimately fell by the wayside, prompting the need for the Sunday meeting between the U.S. and Ukrainian delegations.
Russian officials have said they have received some details of the new plan, but have not disclosed them.
“This isn’t an official one, but we do have the document,” Putin aide Yuri Ushakov said. “We haven’t discussed it with anyone yet because the points in it require truly serious analysis and discussion.”
Trump suggested a Thanksgiving Day deadline for a deal to be signed, but later backed away from that, or any, timeline for the war to end.
“You know what the deadline is for me? When it’s over,” Trump said.
The negotiations amid Russian missile and drone attacks on key infrastructure in cities across Ukraine.
Zelensky said Sunday that over the last week, Russia has launched at least 1,400 drone attacks, 1,100 guided aerial bomb strikes and carried out 66 missile attacks on Ukraine.
Ukraine has responded by targeting Russian energy and military infrastructure outposts, striking them with long-range drones and missiles. It also launched drone attacks over the weekend on two tankers shipping oil to Russia in the Black Sea.
